Systems and methods for control of a non-destructive testing system

ABSTRACT

A system may include a non-destructive testing (NDT) device. The NDT device may further include a communications system configured to receive control data from an external system, wherein the NDT device is configured to use the control data to control a component included in the NDT device, to control a parameter of the NDT device, or a combination thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Under 35 U.S.C. §120, this application is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/732,272, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORCONTROL OF A NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYSTEM,” filed on Dec. 31, 2012,which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to non-destructive testing(NDT) systems, and particularly to systems and methods for the remotecontrol of NDT systems.

Certain equipment and facilities, such as power generation equipment andfacilities, oil and gas equipment and facilities, aircraft equipment andfacilities, manufacturing equipment and facilities, and the like,include a plurality of interrelated systems, and processes. For example,power generation plants may include turbine systems and processes foroperating and maintaining the turbine systems. Likewise, oil and gasoperations may include carbonaceous fuel retrieval systems andprocessing equipment interconnected via pipelines. Similarly, aircraftsystems may include airplanes and maintenance hangars useful inmaintaining airworthiness and providing for maintenance support. Duringequipment operations, the equipment may degrade, encounter undesiredconditions such as corrosion, wear and tear, and so on, potentiallyaffecting overall equipment effectiveness. Certain inspectiontechniques, such as non-destructive inspection techniques ornon-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, may be used to detectundesired equipment conditions.

In a conventional NDT system, data may be shared with other NDToperators or personnel using portable memory devices, paper, of throughthe telephone. As such, the amount of time to share data between NDTpersonnel may depend largely on the speed at which the physical portablememory device is physically dispatched to its target. Accordingly, itwould be beneficial to improve the data sharing capabilities of the NDTsystem, for example, to more efficiently test and inspect a variety ofsystems and equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimedinvention are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended tolimit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather these embodimentsare intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of theinvention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of forms thatmay be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

In one embodiment, a system includes a non-destructive testing (NDT)device. The NDT device further includes a communications systemconfigured to receive control data from an external system, wherein theNDT device is configured to use the control data to control a componentincluded in the NDT device, to control a parameter of the NDT device, ora combination thereof.

In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable mediumcomprises instructions configured to receive control data from anexternal system by using a communications system included in anon-destructive testing (NDT) device. The instructions are furtherconfigured to use the control data to control a component included inthe NDT device, to control a parameter of the NDT device, or acombination thereof.

In yet another embodiment, a method includes receiving control data byusing a communication system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT)device. The method further includes using the control data to control acomponent included in the NDT device, to control a file system of theNDT device, or a combination thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a distributednon- destructive testing (NDT) system, including a mobile device;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details of an embodimentof the distributed NDT system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating an embodiment of a borescope system14 communicatively coupled to the mobile device of FIG. 1 and a “cloud;”

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an embodiment of a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ)camera system communicatively coupled to the mobile device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a process useful inusing the distributed NDT system for planning, inspecting, analyzing,reporting, and sharing of data, such as inspection data;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of information flow through awireless conduit;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an embodiment of information flow through awireless conduit of information useful in remote control of the NDTinspection system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a screen view of an embodiment of a virtual joystick ;

FIG. 9 is a view of embodiments of a plurality of virtual controls;

FIG. 10 is a view of a plurality of positions for the virtual joystickof FIG. 8, in accordance with one embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a view of an embodiment of a translucent control pad;

FIG. 12 is a view of a plurality of gesture controls, in accordance withone embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view on an embodiment of the mobile device ofFIG. 1 suitable for motion and/or voice control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments will be described below. In an effortto provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all featuresof an actual implementation are described in the specification. Itshould be appreciated that in the development of any such actualimplementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerousimplementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness- related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentinvention, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may apply to a variety ofinspection and testing techniques, including non-destructive testing(NDT) or inspection systems. In the NDT system, certain techniques suchas borescopic inspection, weld inspection, remote visual inspections,x-ray inspection, ultrasonic inspection, eddy current inspection, andthe like, may be used to analyze and detect a variety of conditions,including but not limited to corrosion, equipment wear and tear,cracking, leaks, and so on. The techniques described herein provide forimproved NDT systems suitable for borescopic inspection, remote visualinspections, x-ray inspection, ultrasonic inspection, and/or eddycurrent inspection, enabling enhanced data gathering, data analysis,inspection/testing processes, and NDT collaboration techniques.

The improved NDT systems described herein may include inspectionequipment using wireless conduits suitable for communicatively couplingthe inspection equipment to mobile devices, such as tablets, smartphones, and augmented reality eyeglasses; to computing devices, such asnotebooks, laptops, workstations, personal computers; and to “cloud”computing systems, such as cloud-based NDT ecosystems, cloud analytics,cloud-based collaboration and workflow systems, distributed computingsystems, expert systems and/or knowledge-based systems. Indeed, thetechniques described herein may provide for enhanced NDT data gathering,analysis, and data distribution, thus improving the detection ofundesired conditions, enhancing maintenance activities, and increasingreturns on investment (ROI) of facilities and equipment.

In one embodiment, a tablet may be communicatively coupled to the NDTinspection device (e.g., borescope, transportable pan-tilt-zoom camera,eddy current device, x-ray inspection device, ultrasonic inspectiondevice), such as a MENTOR™ NDT inspection device, available from GeneralElectric, Co., of Schenectady, N.Y., and used to provide, for example,enhanced wireless display capabilities, remote control, data analyticsand/or data communications to the NDT inspection device. While othermobile devices may be used, the use of the tablet is apt, however,insofar as the tablet may provide for a larger, higher resolutiondisplay, more powerful processing cores, an increased memory, andimproved battery life. Accordingly, the tablet may address certainissues, such as providing for improved visualization of data, improvingthe manipulatory control of the inspection device, and extendingcollaborative sharing to a plurality of external systems and entities.

Keeping the foregoing in mind, the present disclosure is directedtowards sharing data acquired from the NDT system and/or control ofapplications and/or devices in the NDT system. Generally, data generatedfrom the NDT system may be automatically distributed to various peopleor groups of people using techniques disclosed herein. Moreover, contentdisplayed by an application used to monitor and/or control devices inthe NDT system may be shared between individuals to create a virtualcollaborative environment for monitoring and controlling the devices inthe NDT system.

By way of introduction, and turning now to FIG. 1, the figure is a blockdiagram of an embodiment of distributed NDT system 10. In the depictedembodiment, the distributed NDT system 10 may include one or more NDTinspection devices 12. The NDT inspection devices 12 may be divided intoat least two categories. In one category, depicted in FIG. 1, the NDTinspection devices 12 may include devices suitable for visuallyinspecting a variety of equipment and environments. In another category,described in more detail with respect to FIG. 2 below, the NDT devices12 may include devices providing for alternatives to visual inspectionmodalities, such as x-ray inspection modalities, eddy current inspectionmodalities, and/or ultrasonic inspection modalities.

In the depicted first example category of FIG. 1, the NDT inspectiondevices 12 may include a borescope 14 having one or more processors 15and a memory 17, and a transportable pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera 16having one or more processors 19 and a memory 21. In this first categoryof visual inspection devices, the bore scope 14 and PTZ camera 16 may beused to inspect, for example, a turbo machinery 18, and a facility orsite 20. As illustrated, the bore scope 14 and the PTZ camera 16 may becommunicatively coupled to a mobile device 22 also having one or moreprocessors 23 and a memory 25. The mobile device 22 may include, forexample, a tablet, a cell phone (e.g., smart phone), a notebook, alaptop, or any other mobile computing device. The use of a tablet,however, is apt insofar as the tablet provides for a good balancebetween screen size, weight, computing power, and battery life.Accordingly, in one embodiment, the mobile device 22 may be the tabletmentioned above, available from General Electric Co., of Schenectady,N.Y., and providing for touchscreen input. The mobile device 22 may becommunicatively coupled to the NDT inspection devices 12, such as thebore scope 14 and/or the PTZ camera 16, through a variety of wireless orwired conduits. For example, the wireless conduits may include WiFi(e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers [IEEE]802.11X), cellular conduits (e.g., high speed packet access [HSPA],HSPA+, long term evolution [LTE], WiMax), near field communications(NFC), Bluetooth, personal area networks (PANs), and the like. Thewireless conduits may use a variety of communication protocols, such asTCP/IP, UDP, SCTP, socket layers, and so on. In certain embodiments, thewireless or wired conduits may include secure layers, such as securesocket layers (SSL), virtual private network (VPN) layers, encryptedlayers, challenge key authentication layers, token authenticationlayers, and so on. Wired conduits may include proprietary cabling, RJ45cabling, co-axial cables, fiber optic cables, and so on.

Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device 22 may becommunicatively coupled to the NDT inspection devices 12, such as theborescope 14 and/or the PTZ camera 16, through the “cloud” 24. Indeed,the mobile device 22 may use the cloud 24 computing and communicationstechniques (e.g., cloud-computing network), including but not limited toHTTP, HTTPS, TCP/IP, service oriented architecture (SOA) protocols(e.g., simple object access protocol [SOAP], web services descriptionlanguages (WSDLs)) to interface with the NDT inspection devices 12 fromany geographic location, including geographic locations remote from thephysical location about to undergo inspection. Further, in oneembodiment, the mobile device 22 may provide “hot spot” functionality inwhich mobile device 22 may provide wireless access point (WAP)functionality suitable for connecting the NDT inspection devices 12 toother systems in the cloud 24. Accordingly, collaboration may beenhanced by providing for multi-party workflows, data gathering, anddata analysis.

For example, a borescope operator 26 may physically manipulate theborescope 14 at one location, while a mobile device operator 28 may usethe mobile device 22 to interface with and physically manipulate thebore scope 14 at a second location through remote control techniques.The second location may be proximate to the first location, orgeographically distant from the first location. Likewise, a cameraoperator 30 may physically operate the PTZ camera 16 at a thirdlocation, and the mobile device operator 28 may remote control PTZcamera 16 at a fourth location by using the mobile device 22. The fourthlocation may be proximate to the third location, or geographicallydistant from the third location. Any and all control actions performedby the operators 26 and 30 may be additionally performed by the operator28 through the mobile device 22. Additionally, the operator 28 maycommunicate with the operators 26 and/or 30 by using the devices 14, 16,and 22 through techniques such as voice over IP (VOIP), virtualwhiteboarding, text messages, and the like. By providing for remotecollaboration techniques between the operator 28 operator 26, andoperator 30, the techniques described herein may provide for enhancedworkflows and increase resource efficiencies. Indeed, nondestructivetesting processes may leverage the communicative coupling of the cloud24 with the mobile device 22, the NDT inspection devices 12, andexternal systems coupled to the cloud 24.

In one mode of operation, the mobile device 22 may be operated by thebore scope operator 26 and/or the camera operator 30 to leverage, forexample, a larger screen display, more powerful data processing, as wellas a variety of interface techniques provided by the mobile device 22,as described in more detail below. Indeed, the mobile device 22 may beoperated alongside or in tandem with the devices 14 and 16 by therespective operators 26 and 30. This enhanced flexibility provides forbetter utilization of resources, including human resources, and improvedinspection results.

Whether controlled by the operator 28, 26, and/or 30, the borescope 14and/or PTZ camera 16 may be used to visually inspect a wide variety ofequipment and facilities. For example, the bore scope 14 may be insertedinto a plurality of borescope ports and other locations of theturbomachinery 18, to provide for illumination and visual observationsof a number of components of the turbomachinery 18. In the depictedembodiment, the turbo machinery 18 is illustrated as a gas turbinesuitable for converting carbonaceous fuel into mechanical power.However, other equipment types may be inspected, including compressors,pumps, turbo expanders, wind turbines, hydroturbines, industrialequipment, and/or residential equipment. The turbomachinery 18 (e.g.,gas turbine) may include a variety of components that may be inspectedby the NDT inspection devices 12 described herein.

With the foregoing in mind, it may be beneficial to discuss certainturbomachinery 18 components that may be inspected by using theembodiments disclosed herein. For example, certain components of theturbomachinery 18 depicted in FIG. 1, may be inspected for corrosion,erosion, cracking, leaks, weld inspection, and so on. Mechanicalsystems, such as the turbomachinery 18, experience mechanical andthermal stresses during operating conditions, which may require periodicinspection of certain components. During operations of theturbomachinery 18, a fuel such as natural gas or syngas, may be routedto the turbomachinery 18 through one or more fuel nozzles 32 into acombustor 36. Air may enter the turbomachinery 18 through an air intakesection 38 and may be compressed by a compressor 34. The compressor 34may include a series of stages 40, 42, and 44 that compress the air.Each stage may include one or more sets of stationary vanes 46 andblades 48 that rotate to progressively increase the pressure to providecompressed air. The blades 48 may be attached to rotating wheels 50connected to a shaft 52. The compressed discharge air from thecompressor 34 may exit the compressor 34 through a diffuser section 56and may be directed into the combustor 36 to mix with the fuel. Forexample, the fuel nozzles 32 may inject a fuel-air mixture into thecombustor 36 in a suitable ratio for optimal combustion, emissions, fuelconsumption, and power output. In certain embodiments, theturbomachinery 18 may include multiple combustors 36 disposed in anannular arrangement. Each combustor 36 may direct hot combustion gasesinto a turbine 54.

As depicted, the turbine 54 includes three separate stages 60, 62, and64 surrounded by a casing 76. Each stage 60, 62, and 64 includes a setof blades or buckets 66 coupled to a respective rotor wheel 68, 70, and72, which are attached to a shaft 74. As the hot combustion gases causerotation of turbine blades 66, the shaft 74 rotates to drive thecompressor 34 and any other suitable load, such as an electricalgenerator. Eventually, the turbomachinery 18 diffuses and exhausts thecombustion gases through an exhaust section 80. Turbine components, suchas the nozzles 32, intake 38, compressor 34, vanes 46, blades 48, wheels50, shaft 52, diffuser 56, stages 60, 62, and 64, blades 66, shaft 74,casing 76, and exhaust 80, may use the disclosed embodiments, such asthe NDT inspection devices 12, to inspect and maintain said components.

Additionally, or alternatively, the PTZ camera 16 may be disposed atvarious locations around or inside of the turbo machinery 18, and usedto procure visual observations of these locations. The PTZ camera 16 mayadditionally include one or more lights suitable for illuminatingdesired locations, and may further include zoom, pan and tilt techniquesdescribed in more detail below with respect to FIG. 4, useful forderiving observations around in a variety of difficult to reach areas.The borescope 14 and/or the camera 16 may be additionally used toinspect the facilities 20, such as an oil and gas facility 20. Variousequipment such as oil and gas equipment 84, may be inspected visually byusing the borescope 14 and/or the PTZ camera 16. Advantageously,locations such as the interior of pipes or conduits 86, underwater (orunderfluid) locations 88, and difficult to observe locations such aslocations having curves or bends 90, may be visually inspected by usingthe mobile device 22 through the borescope 14 and/or PTZ camera 16.Accordingly, the mobile device operator 28 may more safely andefficiently inspect the equipment 18, 84 and locations 86, 88, and 90,and share observations in real-time or near real-time with locationgeographically distant from the inspection areas. It is to be understoodthat other NDT inspection devices 12 may be use the embodimentsdescribed herein, such as fiberscopes (e.g., articulating fiberscope,non-articulating fiberscope), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs),including robotic pipe inspectors and robotic crawlers.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the figure is a block diagram of an embodiment ofthe distributed NDT system 10 depicting the second category of NDTinspection devices 12 that may be able to provide for alternativeinspection data to visual inspection data. For example, the secondcategory of NDT inspection devices 12 may include an eddy currentinspection device 92, an ultrasonic inspection device, such as anultrasonic flaw detector 94, and an x-ray inspection device, such adigital radiography device 96. The eddy current inspection device 92 mayinclude one or more processors 93 and a memory 95. Likewise, theultrasonic flaw detector 94 may include one or more processors 97 and amemory 104. Similarly, the digital radiography device 96 may include oneor more processors 101 and a memory 103. In operations, the eddy currentinspection device 92 may be operated by an eddy current operator 98, theultrasonic flaw detector 94 may be operated by an ultrasonic deviceoperator 100, and the digital radiography device 96 may be operated by aradiography operator 102.

As depicted, the eddy current inspection device 92, the ultrasonic flawdetector 94, and the digital radiography inspection device 96, may becommunicatively coupled to the mobile device 22 by using wired orwireless conduits, including the conduits mentioned above with respectto FIG. 1. Additionally, or alternatively, the devices 92, 94, and 96may be coupled to the mobile device 22 by using the cloud 24, forexample the borescope 14 may be connected to a cellular “hotspot,” anduse the hotspot to connect to one or more experts in borescopicinspection and analysis. Accordingly, the mobile device operator 28 mayremotely control various aspects of operations of the devices 92, 94,and 96 by using the mobile device 22, and may collaborate with theoperators 98, 100, and 102 through voice (e.g., voice over IP [VOIP]),data sharing (e.g., whiteboarding), providing data analytics, expertsupport and the like, as described in more detail herein.

Accordingly, it may be possible to enhance the visual observation ofvarious equipment, such as an aircraft system 104 and facilities 106,with x-ray observation modalities, ultrasonic observation modalities,and/or eddy current observation modalities. For example, the interiorand the walls of pipes 108 may be inspected for corrosion and/orerosion. Likewise, obstructions or undesired growth inside of the pipes108 may be detected by using the devices 92, 94, and/or 96. Similarly,fissures or cracks 110 disposed inside of certain ferrous or non-ferrousmaterial 112 may be observed. Additionally, the disposition andviability of parts 114 inserted inside of a component 116 may beverified. Indeed, by using the techniques described herein, improvedinspection of equipment and components 104, 108, 112 and 116 may beprovided. For example, the mobile device 22 may be used to interfacewith and provide remote control of the devices 14, 16, 92, 94, and 96.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the borescope 14 coupled to the mobile device22 and the cloud 24. Accordingly, the boresecope 14 may provide data toany number of devices connected to the cloud 24 or inside the cloud 24.As mentioned above, the mobile device 22 may be used to receive datafrom the borescope 14, to remote control the borescope 14, or acombination thereof. Indeed, the techniques described herein enable, forexample, the communication of a variety of data from the borescope 14 tothe mobile device 22, including but not limited to images, video, andsensor measurements, such as temperature, pressure, flow, clearance(e.g., measurement between a stationary component and a rotarycomponent), and distance measurements. Likewise, the mobile device 22may communicate control instructions, reprogramming instructions,configuration instructions, and the like, as described in more detailbelow.

As depicted the borescope 14, includes an insertion tube 118 suitablefor insertion into a variety of location, such as inside of theturbomachinery 18, equipment 84, pipes or conduits 86, underwaterlocations 88, curves or bends 90, varies locations inside or outside ofthe aircraft system 104, the interior of pipe 108, and so on. Theinsertion tube 118 may include a head end section 120, an articulatingsection 122, and a conduit section 124. In the depicted embodiment, thehead end section 120 may include a camera 126, one or more lights 128(e.g., LEDs), and sensors 130. As mentioned above, the borescope'scamera 126 may provide images and video suitable for inspection. Thelights 128 may be used to provide for illumination when the head end 120is disposed in locations having low light or no light.

During use, the articulating section 122 may be controlled, for example,by the mobile device 22 and/or a physical joy stick 131 disposed on theborescope 14. The articulating sections 122 may steer or “bend” invarious dimensions. For example, the articulation section 122 may enablemovement of the head end 120 in an X-Y plane X-Z plane and/or Y-Z planeof the depicted XYZ axes 133. Indeed, the physical joystick 131 and/orthe mobile device 22 may both be used alone or in combination, toprovide control actions suitable for disposing the head end 120 at avariety of angles, such as the depicted angle a. In this manner, theborescope head end 120 may be positioned to visually inspect desiredlocations. The camera 126 may then capture, for example, a video 134,which may be displayed in a screen 135 of the borescope 14 and a screen137 of the mobile device 22, and may be recorded by the borescope 14and/or the mobile device 22. In one embodiment, the screens 135 and 137may be multi-touchscreens using capacitance techniques, resistivetechniques, infrared grid techniques, and the like, to detect the touchof a stylus and/or one or more human fingers. Additionally oralternatively, images and the video 134 may be transmitted into thecloud 24.

Other data, including but not limited to sensor 130 data, mayadditionally be communicated and/or recorded by the borescope 14. Thesensor 130 data may include temperature data, distance data, clearancedata (e.g., distance between a rotating and a stationary component),flow data, and so on. In certain embodiments, the borescope 14 mayinclude a plurality of replacement tips 136. For example, thereplacement tips 136 may include retrieval tips such as snares, magnetictips, gripper tips, and the like. The replacement tips 136 mayadditionally include cleaning and obstruction removal tools, such aswire brushes, wire cutters, and the like. The tips 136 may additionallyinclude tips having differing optical characteristics, such as focallength, stereoscopic views, 3-dimensional (3D) phase views, shadowviews, and so on. Additionally or alternatively, the head end 120 mayinclude a removable and replaceable head end 120. Accordingly, aplurality of head ends 120 may be provided at a variety of diameters,and the insertion tube 118 maybe disposed in a number of locationshaving openings from approximately one millimeter to ten millimeters ormore. Indeed, a wide variety of equipment and facilities may beinspected, and the data may be shared through the mobile device 22and/or the cloud 24.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the transportable PTZcamera 16 communicatively coupled to the mobile device 22 and to thecloud 24. As mentioned above, the mobile device 22 and/or the cloud 24may remotely manipulate the PTZ camera 16 to position the PTZ camera 16to view desired equipment and locations. In the depicted example, thePTZ camera 16 may be tilted and rotated about the Y-axis. For example,the PTZ camera 16 may be rotated at an angle 13 between approximately 0°to 180°, 0° to 270°, 0° to 360°, or more about the Y-axis. Likewise, thePTZ camera 16 may be tilted, for example, about the Y-X plane at anangle y of approximately 0° to 100°, 0° to 120°, 0° to 150°, or morewith respect to the Y-Axis. Lights 138 may be similarly controlled, forexample, to active or deactivate, and to increase or decrease a level ofillumination (e.g., lux) to a desired value. Sensors 140, such as alaser rangefinder, may also be mounted onto the PTZ camera 16, suitablefor measuring distance to certain objects. Other sensors 140 may beused, including long-range temperature sensors (e.g., infraredtemperature sensors), pressure sensors, flow sensors, clearance sensors,and so on.

The PTZ camera 16 may be transported to a desired location, for example,by using a shaft 142. The shaft 142 enables the camera operator 30 tomove the camera and to position the camera, for example, inside oflocations 86, 108, underwater 88, into hazardous (e.g., hazmat)locations, and so on. Additionally, the shaft 142 may be used to morepermanently secure the PTZ camera 16 by mounting the shaft 142 onto apermanent or semi-permanent mount. In this manner, the PTZ camera 16 maybe transported and/or secured at a desired location. The PTZ camera 16may then transmit, for example by using wireless techniques, image data,video data, sensor 140 data, and the like, to the mobile device 22and/or cloud 24. Accordingly, data received from the PTZ camera 16 maybe remotely analyzed and used to determine the condition and suitabilityof operations for desired equipment and facilities. Indeed, thetechniques described herein may provide for a comprehensive inspectionand maintenance process suitable for planning, inspecting, analyzing,and/or sharing a variety of data by using the aforementioned devices 12,14, 16, 22, 92, 94, 96, and the cloud 24, as described in more detailbelow with respect to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a process 150 suitable forplanning, inspecting, analyzing, and/or sharing a variety of data byusing the aforementioned devices 12, 14, 16, 22, 92, 94, 96, and thecloud 24. Indeed, the techniques described herein may use the devices12, 14, 16, 22, 92, 94, 96 to enable processes, such as the depictedprocess 150, to more efficiently support and maintain a variety ofequipment. In certain embodiments, the process 150 or portions of theprocess 150 may be included in non-transitory computer-readable mediastored in memory, such as the memory 17, 21, 25, 95, 99, 103 andexecutable by one or more processors, such as the processors 15, 19, 23,93, 97, 101.

In one example, the process 150 may plan (block 152) for inspection andmaintenance activities. Data acquired by using the devices 12, 14, 16,22, 42, 44, 46, an others, such as fleet data acquired from a fleet ofturbomachinery 18, from equipment users (e.g., aircraft 54 servicecompanies), and/or equipment manufacturers, may be used to plan (block152) maintenance and inspection activities, more efficient inspectionschedules for machinery, flag certain areas for a more detailedinspection, and so on. The process 150 may then enable the use of asingle mode or a multi-modal inspection (block 154) of desiredfacilities and equipment (e.g., turbomachinery 18). As mentioned above,the inspection (block 154) may use any one or more of the NDT inspectiondevices 12 (e.g., borescope 14, PTZ camera 16, eddy current inspectiondevice 92, ultrasonic flaw detector 94, digital radiography device 96),thus providing with one or more modes of inspection (e.g., visual,ultrasonic, eddy current, x-ray). In the depicted embodiment, the mobiledevice 22 may be used to remote control the NDT inspection devices 12,to analyze data communicated by the NDT inspection devices 12, toprovide for additional functionality not included in the NDT inspectiondevices 12 as described in more detail herein, to record data from theNDT inspection devices 12, and to guide the inspection (block 154), forexample, by using menu-driven inspection (MDI) techniques, among others.

Results of the inspection (block 154), may then be analyzed (block 156),for example, by using the NDT device 12, by transmitting inspection datato the cloud 24, by using the mobile device 22, or a combinationthereof. The analysis may include engineering analysis useful indetermining remaining life for the facilities and/or equipment, wear andtear, corrosion, erosion, and so forth. The analysis may additionallyinclude operations research (OR) analysis used to provide for moreefficient parts replacement schedules, maintenance schedules, equipmentutilization schedules, personnel usage schedules, new inspectionschedules, and so on. The analysis (block 156) may then be reported(block 158), resulting in one or more reports 159, including reportscreated in or by using the cloud 24, detailing the inspection andanalysis performed and results obtained. The reports 159 may then beshared (block 160), for example, by using the cloud 24, the mobiledevice 22, and other techniques, such as workflow sharing techniques. Inone embodiment, the process 150 may be iterative, thus, the process 150may iterate back to planning (block 152) after the sharing (block 160)of the reports 159. By providing for embodiments useful in using thedevices (e.g., 12, 14, 16, 22, 92, 94, 96) described herein to plan,inspect, analyze, report, and share data, the techniques describedherein may enable a more efficient inspection and maintenance of thefacilities 20, 106 and the equipment 18, 104. Indeed, the transfer ofmultiple categories of data may be provided, as described in more detailbelow with respect to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a data flow diagram depicting an embodiment of the flow ofvarious data categories originating from the NDT inspection devices 12(e.g., devices 14, 16, 92, 94, 96) and transmitted to the mobile device22 and/or the cloud 24. As mentioned above, the NDT inspection devices12 may use a wireless conduit 162 to transmit the data. In oneembodiment, the wireless conduit 112 may include WiFi (e.g., 802.11X),cellular conduits (e.g., HSPA, HSPA+, LTE, WiMax), NFC, Bluetooth, PANs,and the like. The wireless conduit 162 may use a variety ofcommunication protocols, such as TCP/IP, UDP, SCTP, socket layers, andso on. In certain embodiments, the wireless conduit 162 may includesecure layers, such as SSL, VPN layers, encrypted layers, challenge keyauthentication layers, token authentication layers, and so on.Accordingly, an authorization data 164 may be used to provide any numberof authorization or login information suitable to pair or otherwiseauthenticate the NDT inspection device 12 to the mobile device 22 and/orthe cloud 24. Additionally, the wireless conduit 162 may dynamicallycompress data, depending on, for example, currently available bandwidthand latency. The mobile device 22 may then uncompress and display thedata. Compression/decompression techniques may include H.261, H.263,H.264, moving picture experts group (MPEG), MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-3,MPEG-4, DivX, and so on.

In certain modalities (e.g., visual modalities), images and video may becommunicated by using certain of the NDT inspection devices 12. Othermodalities may also send video, sensor data, and so on, related to orincluded in their respective screens. The NDT inspection device 12 may,in addition to capturing images, overlay certain data onto the image,resulting in a more informative view. For example, a borescope tip mapmay be overlaid on the video, showing an approximation of thedisposition of a borescope tip during insertion so as to guide theoperator 26 to more accurately position the borescope camera 126. Theoverlay tip map may include a grid having four quadrants, and the tip136 disposition may be displayed as dot in any portion or positioninside of the four quadrants. A variety of overlays may be provided, asdescribed in more detail below, including measurement overlays, menuoverlays, annotation overlays, and object identification overlays. Theimage and video data, such as the video 84, may then be displayed, withthe overlays generally displayed on top of the image and video data.

In one embodiment, the overlays, image, and video data may be “screenscraped” from the screen 135 and communicated as screen scrapping data166. The screen scrapping data 166 may then be displayed on the mobiledevice 22 and other display devices communicatively coupled to the cloud24. Advantageously, the screen scrapping data 166 may be more easilydisplayed. Indeed, because pixels may include both the image or videoand overlays in the same frame, the mobile device 22 may simply displaythe aforementioned pixels. However, providing the screen scraping datamay merge both the images with the overlays, and it may be beneficial toseparate the two (or more) data streams. For example, the separate datastreams (e.g., image or video stream, overlay stream) may be transmittedapproximately simultaneously, thus providing for faster datacommunications. Additionally, the data streams may be analyzedseparately, thus improving data inspection and analysis.

Accordingly, in one embodiment, the image data and overlays may beseparated into two or more data streams 168 and 170. The data stream 168may include only overlays, while the data stream 170 may include imagesor video. In one embodiment, the images or video 170 may be synchronizedwith the overlays 168 by using a synchronization signal 172. Forexample, the synchronization signal may include timing data suitable tomatch a frame of the data stream 170 with one or more data itemsincluded in the overlay stream 168. In yet another embodiment, nosynchronization data 172 data may be used. Instead, each frame or image170 may include a unique ID, and this unique ID may be matched to one ormore of the overlay data 168 and used to display the overlay data 168and the image data 170 together.

The overlay data 168 may include a tip map overlay. For example, a gridhaving four squares (e.g., quadrant grid) may be displayed, along with adot or circle representing a tip 136 position. This tip map may thusrepresent how the tip 136 is being inserted inside of an object. A firstquadrant (top right) may represent the tip 136 being inserted into a topright corner looking down axially into the object, a second quadrant(top left) may represent the tip 136 being inserted into a left rightcorner looking down axially, a third quadrant (bottom left) mayrepresent the tip 136 being inserted into a bottom left corner, and afourth quadrant (bottom right) may represent the tip 136 being insertedinto a bottom right corner. Accordingly, the borescope operator 26 maymore easily guide insertion of the tip 136.

The overlay data 168 may also include measurement overlays. For example,measurement such as length, point to line, depth, area, multi-segmentline, distance, skew, and circle gauge may be provided by enabling theuser to overlay one or more cursor crosses (e.g., “+”) on top of animage. In one embodiment a stereo probe measurement tip 136, or a shadowprobe measurement tip 136 may be provided, suitable for measurementsinside of objects, including stereoscopic measurements and/or byprojecting a shadow onto an object. By placing a plurality of cursoricons (e.g., cursor crosses) over an image, the measurements may bederived using stereoscopic techniques. For example, placing two cursorsicons may provide for a linear point-to-point measurement (e.g.,length). Placing three cursor icons may provide for a perpendiculardistance from a point to a line (e.g., point to line). Placing fourcursor icons may provide for a perpendicular distance between a surface(derived by using three cursors) and a point (the fourth cursor) aboveor below the surface (e.g., depth). Placing three or more cursors arounda feature or defect may then give an approximate area of the surfacecontained inside the cursors. Placing three or more cursors may alsoenable a length of a multi-segment line following each cursor.

Likewise, by projecting a shadow, the measurements may be derived basedon illumination and resulting shadows. Accordingly, by positioning theshadow across the measurement area, then placing two cursors as close aspossible to the shadow at furthermost points of a desired measurementmay result in the derivation of the distance between the points. Placingthe shadow across the measurement area, and then placing cursors atedges (e.g., illuminated edges) of the desired measurement areaapproximately to the center of a horizontal shadow may result in a skewmeasurement, otherwise defined as a linear (point-to-point) measurementon a surface that is not perpendicular to the probe 14 view. This may beuseful when a vertical shadow is not obtainable.

Similarly, positioning a shadow across the measurement area, and thenplacing one cursor on a raised surface and a second cursor on a recessedsurface may result in the derivation of depth, or a distance between asurface and a point above or below the surface. Positioning the shadownear the measurement area, and then placing a circle (e.g., circlecursor of user selectable diameter, also referred to as circle gauge)close to the shadow and over a defect may then derive the approximatediameter, circumference, and/or area of the defect.

Overlay data 168 may also include annotation data. For example, text andgraphics (e.g. arrow pointers, crosses, geometric shapes) may beoverlaid on top of an image to annotate certain features, such as“surface crack.” Additionally, audio may be captured by the NDTinspection device 12, and provided as an audio overlay. For example, avoice annotation, sounds of the equipment undergoing inspection, and soon, may be overlaid on an image or video as audio. The overlay data 168received by the mobile device 22 and/or cloud 24 may then be rendered bya variety of techniques. For example, HTML5 or other markup languagesmay be used to display the overlay data 168. In one embodiment, themobile device 22 and/or cloud 24 may provide for a first user interfacedifferent from a second user interface provided by the NDT device 12.Accordingly, the overlay data 168 may be simplified and only send basicinformation. For example, in the case of the tip map, the overlay data168 may simply include X and Y data correlative to the location of thetip, and the first user interface may then use the X and Y data tovisually display the tip on a grid.

Additionally sensor data 174 may be communicated. For example, data fromthe sensors 126, 140, and x-ray sensor data, eddy current sensor data,and the like may be communicated. In certain embodiments, the sensordata 174 may be synchronized with the overlay data 168, for example,overlay tip maps may be displayed alongside with temperatureinformation, pressure information, flow information, clearance, and soon. Likewise, the sensor data 174 may be displayed alongside the imageor video data 170.

In certain embodiments, force feedback or haptic feedback data 176 maybe communicated. The force feedback data 176 may include, for example,data related to the borescope 14 tip 136 abutting or contacting againsta structure, vibrations felt by the tip 136 or vibration sensors 126,force related to flows, temperatures, clearances, pressures, and thelike. The mobile device 22 may include, for example, a tactile layerhaving fluid-filled microchannels, which, based on the force feedbackdata 176, may alter fluid pressure and/or redirect fluid in response.Indeed, the techniques describe herein, may provide for responsesactuated by the mobile device 22 suitable for representing sensor data174 and other data in the conduit 162 as tactile forces.

The NDT devices 12 may additionally communicate position data 178. Forexample, the position data 178 may include locations of the NDT devices12 in relation to equipment 18, 104, and/or facilities 20, 106. Forexample, techniques such as indoor GPS, RFID, triangulation (e.g., WiFitriangulation, radio triangulation) may be used to determine theposition 178 of the devices 12. Object data 180 may include data relatedto the object under inspection. For example, the object data 180 mayinclude identifying information (e.g., serial numbers), observations onequipment condition, annotations (textual annotations, voiceannotations), and so on. Other types of data 182 may be used, includingbut not limited to menu-driven inspection data, which when used,provides a set of pre-defined “tags” that can be applied as textannotations and metadata. These tags may include location information(e.g., 1st stage HP compressor) or indications (e.g., foreign objectdamage) related to the object undergoing inspection. Other data 182 mayadditionally include remote file system data, in which the mobile device22 may view and manipulate files and file constructs (e.g., folders,subfolders) of data located in the memory 25 of the NDT inspectiondevice 12. Accordingly, files may be transferred to the mobile device 22and cloud 24, edited and transferred back into the memory 25. Bycommunicating the data 164- 182 to the mobile device 22 and the cloud24, the techniques described herein may enable a faster and moreefficient process 150. By communicating the data 164-182 to the mobiledevice 22 and the cloud 24, the techniques described herein may enable afaster and more efficient process 150. Indeed, the transfer of multiplecategories of data may be provided, as described in more detail belowwith respect to FIGS. 7-10.

Turning now to FIG. 7, the figure is a data flow diagram illustrating anembodiment of the flow of various data categories originating from themobile device 22, devices inside the cloud 24, and/or devicescommunicatively connected to the cloud 24 (e.g., computing system 29)and directed, for example, towards the NDT inspection devices 12 (e.g.,borescope 14, PTZ camera 16, eddy current inspection device 92,ultrasonic flaw detector 94, digital radiography device 96). Such datamay include control data suitable for controlling the NDT device. Asdescribed herein, the control of the NDT inspection devices 12 includesboth control of positioning apparatus, such as the articulating section122 of the borescope 14, apparatus used to pan, tilt, and zoom the PTZcamera 16, as well as the remote control of file systems in the NDTdevices 12, screen(s) included in the NDT devices 12, and the setting ofparameters used to operate or to configure the NDT devices 12, asdescribed in more detail below.

In the depicted embodiment, a wireless conduit 200 may be used tocommunicate the data (e.g. control data) to the NDT devices 12. Similarto the conduit 162, the wireless conduit, in certain embodiments, mayinclude WiFi (e.g., 802.11X), cellular conduits (e.g., HSPA, HSPA+, LTE,WiMax), NFC, Bluetooth, PANs, and the like. The wireless conduit 162 mayuse a variety of communication protocols, such as TCP/IP, UDP, SCTP,socket layers, and so on. In certain embodiments, the wireless conduit162 may include secure layers, such as SSL, VPN layers, encryptedlayers, challenge key authentication layers, token authenticationlayers, and so on. It is to be noted that, in other embodiments, wiredconduits may be used alternative to or in lieu of the wireless conduits162, 200.

Authorization data 202 may be communicated, and used, for example, inconjunction with the authorization data 164 to enable secure access tothe NDT devices 12. A variety of secure authentication techniques may beused, including but not limited to login/password combinations,maintaining a list of secure MAC addresses, challenge-responseauthentication between two or more of the devices 12, 22, and cloud 24,secure NFC authentication, using a third-party authentication server(e.g., by using certificate authentication, key exchangeauthentication), and so on.

Position control data 204 may additionally be communicated, useful tomove or otherwise position components of the NDT devices 12. Indeed,certain components of the NDT devices 12 may be physically movedremotely by using, for example, a virtual joystick described in moredetail below with respect to FIG. 8. Any number of systems (e.g., mobiledevices 22, computing systems 29, web-based virtual controllers), suchas devices connected to the NDT devices 12 locally (e.g., WiFi,Bluetooth) and/or via the cloud 24, may be used to remotely communicatethe data 204 and used to remotely position components of the NDT devices12.

Advantageously, a variety of remote operations, training, andcollaboration may be enabled. For example, an expert operator may traina new borescope operator on the job. The new borescope operator may holdthe borescope 14 and observe while the expert operator controls theborescope 14 by using the mobile device 22. The expert operator may thenpoint out tip control techniques, relate what type of observations arecorrelative to corrosion, show how to make annotations, and so on. Inother cases, the expert operator may be located at a differentgeographic location and may collaborate and/or train the new borescopeoperator by the use of VOIP, whiteboarding, and the like, or may use themobile device 22 to perform a full inspection remotely. In anothertraining example, the new borescope operator may be using the mobiledevice 22 and/or borescope 14, and receive training from remotelocations, such as web-based locations. For example, the screen 137 ofthe mobile device 22 may be portioned into multiple viewing areas (e.g.,“splitscreens”) so that one viewing area shows borescope 14 images orvideo while a second viewing area shows a training video, and a thirdarea shows an online equipment manual procured wirelessly. Indeed, theboresecope 14 may receive data, including targeted multimedia inspectiondata from external sources (e.g., mobile device 22, cloud 24, computingsystem 29).

Additionally, fine control data 206 may be communicated. For example,“jogging” data suitable for moving the borescope's articulating section122 and/or the PTZ camera 16 at smaller increments than the positioncontrol data 204. More specifically, the fine control data 206 mayinclude a step to move (e.g., 0.5 mm, between 0.05 mm and 1 cm or more),and a number of steps to move (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more).Accordingly, components of the NDT device 12 may be more preciselydisposed to better observe certain features undergoing inspection. Theposition control data 204 and fine control data 206 may be produced byvirtual controllers or physical controllers communicatively connected tothe NDT devices 12.

Images, video, text, and/or audio data 208 may be additionallycommunicated. For example, the mobile device 22, the cloud 24, and/ordevices coupled to the cloud (e.g., computing system 29) may send imagesand/or video, as well as overlay annotations useful in illustrating tothe borescope operator certain features to inspect further, along withaudio detailing explanations of how to proceed with the inspection. Incertain embodiments, the data 208 may be training data useful indetailing inspection procedures. In other embodiment, the data 208 mayinclude data transmitted from experts, detailing instructions on how tomore thoroughly inspect certain equipment. In yet another embodiment,the data 208 may include data sent through automated entities (e.g.,expert systems, fuzzy logic systems, neural network systems, statevector machines) based on received data from FIG. 6 useful in directingand/or focusing the inspection after automatically analyzing thereceived data.

Configuration data 210 may also be communicated. For example data usedto update file systems included in the NDT devices 12, to reprogram theNDT devices 12, to set parameters useful in operating the NDT devices12, and/or to reconfigure electronic components of the device 12 (e.g.,flash upgrade) may be sent to the NDT inspection devices 12 remotely.Indeed, programming and parameter-setting may be done remotely, thusproviding for techniques to more easily maintain the NDT devices up todate, and to improve device operations. It is to be understood thatdifferent NDT devices 12 may use different parameter sets. As anon-limiting example only, some parameters, e.g., used during operationsof the NDT device 12 and useful to remote control the NDT devices 12 mayinclude parameters for starting acquisition of data, stoppingacquisition of data, saving a file, naming or renaming a file, adjustinga gain, adjusting a time base, compensating for lift off—zeroing signalduring eddy current inspection, adjusting phase rotation, adjustingpersistence, balancing a probe, adjusting gate (e.g., amplitudeadjustment, position adjustment), adjusting color palette—soft gain,changing signal rectification, changing pulser filter, zooming in andout, adjusting a pulse width, adjusting a data filter (e.g., bandwidth),adjusting pulse repetition frequency, adjusting sweep angle start/stop,adjusting sweep angle increment, turning channels on/off, freezing data,clearing/erasing data, adjusting span, adjusting filters, changing spotpositions, changing display types (e.g., spot display, timebase display,waterfall display), and/or changing channel views.

In one embodiment, client-server techniques, such as virtual networkcomputing (VNC), remote desktop protocol (RDP), desktop sharing, amongothers, may be used to send configuration data 210 and receive datacorrelative with screen control of the NDT devices 12. Likewise, remotefile system control may be provided by using techniques such as securefile transfer protocol (ftp), ftp over secure shell (SSH), remote filesharing (RFS), and/or distributed file systems (e.g., using the cloud 24to store and retrieve files through the NDT devices 12). Files may beadded, renamed, deleted, and/or updated. Likewise, file folders andother file storage structures may be similarly renamed, deleted, and/orupdated.

Force feedback data 212 may additionally be communicated. For example, amore forceful push onto the mobile device's 22 touchscreen may translateinto data 212 useful in moving the borescope's articulating section 122more quickly. Likewise, a haptic controller may be coupled to thecomputing device 29 and provide the force feedback data. The more forceapplied, the faster the correlative movement of components such as thearticulating section 122 of the borescope 14. It is to be noted thatforce feedback data 212 may be provided by other devices, such as thephysical joystick 131, a virtual joystick described in more detail withrespect to FIG. 8 below, haptic controllers wirelessly coupled to theNDT devices 12, including controllers coupled through the cloud 24 ormobile device 22 (e.g., when the mobile device 22 is providing for WAPfunctionality). Other data 214 may include updated digital manuals orhelp manuals useful in operating the NDT devices 12, manuals relating tothe equipment (e.g., turbomachinery 18, aircraft 54) undergoinginspection, and so on. Accordingly, the wireless conduit 200 would beused to communicate and to change or otherwise modify NDT device 12information, such as borescope- specific information including but notlimited to measurement information (cursor placement, measurements,stereo matches), MDI information (current stage, asset information,reference material), current menu selections, tiptemperatures/pressures, tip orientation (tip map, artificial horizon),3-dimensional phase measurement (3DPM) range indication, textannotation, and so on. Software control applications may render nativegraphics with touchscreen buttons or softkey labels as described in moredetail below, and if appropriate, accept user input. Hard physicalbuttons with either fixed or dynamic functionality can also be used toaccept input. It is to be noted that the NDT device 12 may be controlledby a first entity (or more than one remote entities) at the same time asthe NDT device 12 is used by a second entity. Indeed, the controlembodiments described herein enable multiple parties to control thedevice at the same time, including multiple remote parties.

FIG. 8 is illustrative of an embodiment of a screen view 220 useful inremote controlling the NDT devices 12. The screen view 220 may beincluded in the mobile device 22 (e.g., tablet, cell phone, notebooktouchscreen). The screen view 220 may be implemented by usingnon-transitory computer-readable instructions stored, for example, inthe memory 25 of the mobile device 22. In the depicted embodiment, aninterface bar 222 may be activated, for example, by “swiping” a tabcontrol 224. Once activated, the tab control 224 may change icons, froma right arrow icon 226 to a left arrow icon 228, denoting preferredswiping direction.

In a section 230 of the interface bar 222, a plurality of virtualcontrols may be displayed. The depicted virtual controls include avirtual joystick 232, a virtual control pad 234, a slider 236, and a tipmap 238 showing a position 239 of the tip 136. Other virtual controlsmay be provided, as described in more detail below with respect to FIG.9. The virtual controls may be displayed on a screen 240 of a controlsoftware application executable, for example, by the processor 23 of themobile device 22, and used to control one or more components of the NDTdevices 12. In the depicted example, a finger 242 is used to move thevirtual joystick 232 into a desired location. Indeed, all of the virtualcontrols 234, 236, 238 may be similarly disposed onto any area of thescreen 240. The virtual controls 232, 234, 236, 238 are resizable.Additionally, techniques such as “pinch-to-zoom,” may be used to resizethe controls 232, 234, 236, 238 to a desired size.

Once the virtual controls are positioned into desired locations of thescreen 240, a section 244 of the screen may store a customized template246 that include the saved positions and sizes for the screen 240controls. Other templates 248 may be provided, for example, via thecloud 24, from a variety of sources, including the manufacturer for theNDT devices 12, equipment 18, 54 manufacturers, shops that service theequipment 18, 54, software vendors, and the like. The templates 248 maystore a plurality of virtual controls and certain placement and sizesoriginally provided by the template 248. In certain embodiments, thetemplate(s) 248 may be downloaded automatically based on the type of NDTdevice 12 selected (e.g., 14, 16, 92, 94, 96), the location of the NDTdevice 12, such as proximity to a specific model and/or serial number ofthe equipment 18, 54. Indeed, control templates 248 specific to certainequipment and/or facilities may be automatically downloaded based on theselected NDT device 12 and/or proximity of the NDT device 12 to theaforementioned equipment or facility.

In the depicted example of the screen 240, the virtual joystick 232 maybe used to control the articulating section 122 of the borescope 14. Thetip map 238 may then be used to show a location of the tip 136 whendisposed inside of the equipment undergoing inspection. Lights 128, 138may be controlled by using the slider 236, and a temperature may bedisplayed by using a text control 250. The entirety of the screen 240,or a portion of the screen 240, may then be used to display an image orvideo captured, for example, by using the borescope camera 126 or thecamera 16. By providing for dynamic, reconfigurable screens 240, thetechniques described herein may enable a more efficient and thoroughinspection 154.

Turning to FIG. 9, the figure depicts a non-exhaustive list ofembodiments of virtual controls that may be disposed on the screen 240of FIG. 8. For example, a button control 254 may be used to activate ordeactivate components (hardware or software components) of the NDTdevice 12 and/or mobile device 22. A radio button 256 may be used toselect or deselect components of the NDT device 12 and/or mobile device22. The textbox control 250, also shown in FIG. 8, may be used todisplay any number of textual data (e.g., sensor data, annotations,notes, time/date, parameter settings, and so on). A keyboard control 260may be used to display a virtual keyboard suitable for the typing ofdata. A checkbox control 262 may be used to check or uncheck features(hardware or software features) of the NDT device 12 and/or mobiledevice 22. A menu control 264 may be used to display MDI data and othermenu related data. A label control 266 may be used to display a statictext or graphic label, as desired. A tip map control 268 may be used todisplay a current tip 136 position.

Likewise, the slider control 236 (also shown in FIG. 8) may be used toadjust any number of hardware or software components, parameters, and soon by “sliding” to a desired level. A jog control 272 may be used to“jog” the fine control data 206, or to set properties associated withthe fine control data 206 (e.g., steps to move, number of steps tomove). A voice control 274 may be used to provide voice commands, voiceannotations, VOIP conversations, and so on. An arrow control 276 may beused to point to image or video features. The joystick 232 and controlpad 234 (also shown in FIG. 8) may be used to manipulate certaincomponents (e.g., articulating section 122 of the borescope 14) todispose the components into a desired position.

Similarly, a grouping control 278 may be used to “lasso” or groupcomponents in order to move the components, delete the components fromthe screen 240, and so on. A cross 280 cursor may be used to mark orotherwise indicate certain locations on the screen 240 correlative withfeatures of an image or video. A measure component 282 may then use, forexample, the one or more crosses 280 to derive measurements, such as thestereoscopic and/or shadow measurements described above with respect toFIG. 6. Zoom controls 284 and unzoom controls 286 may be used to zoominto or out of certain portions (or all) of the screen 240. By providingfor resizable, repositionable virtual controls 252, the techniquesdescribed herein may enable a more efficient use of space of the screen240, and provide for customizable, dynamic screens 240.

Some of the controls, such as the virtual joystick 232, may be disposedin a variety of orientations as shown in an embodiment illustrated inFIG. 10. In the depicted embodiment, the virtual joystick 232 is shownin four different orientations 300, 302, 304, and 306. Morespecifically, the orientation 300 positions the joystick 232 parallel tothe Y axis with a joystick head 307 in an “up” position, the orientation302 positions the joystick 232 parallel to the X axis with the joystickhead 307 in a “left” position, the orientation 304 positions thejoystick 232 parallel to the Y axis with the joystick head 307 in a“down” position, and the orientation 306 positions the joystick 232parallel to the X axis with the joystick head 307 in a “left” position.Other orientations may be chosen to position the virtual joystick 232,for example, orientations parallel to the Z-axis, or at any angle withrespect to the XY plane, XZ plane, and or YZ plane. Additionally, thevirtual joystick 232 and/or virtual control pad 234 may be adjusted tovary a sensitivity of manipulation. That is, when using the touchscreen135, 137, it may be useful to allow user control of the sensitivity ofthe joystick, such that the user may configure what level of touch ormovement is desired to “move” the virtual control (e.g., 232, 234) agiven amount. Accordingly, the joystick 232 may provide for a moreflexible interface useful in controlling a variety of NDT devices 12.

In some embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 11, thevirtual controls shown in FIG. 9 may be displayed as opaque ortranslucent visualizations. For example, the control pad 234 is shown ashaving a transparent body with certain features 308 visualized inoutline form. By providing for opaque or translucent visualizations,images or video displayed underneath the controls of FIG. 9 may be moreeasily viewed, and the inspection 154 may be more easily performed.

In some cases, it may be desirable to control to the NDT devices 12 byusing gesture control in lieu of the joystick 232 or the control pad234, or additional to the controls 232, 234. Accordingly, screen 240space may be maximized. FIG. 12 depicts a non-inclusive example ofembodiments of a plurality of gestures that may be used to control theNDT devices 12. A single digit or finger gesture 390 may be used todefine a vector AB with a starting point A and an ending point B. Thedirection of the vector AB may then be used to move desired componentsalong the vector AB, and the length of the vector AB may provide for thelength of the movement. Pinch- to-zoom gestures 392 may also be used.For example, spreading two fingers outwardly along a line 394 may zoomcertain portions of the screen 240. Likewise moving two fingers inwardlyalong a line 396 may unzoom certain portions of the screen 240.

Rotational gestures 398 may also be provided. For example, rotating oneor two fingers to follow arcs 400 and 403 may correlatively rotatedesired components of the NDT device 12. Multi-gesture control 404 isalso provided. For example, using three fingers or more and swiping indirections 406, 408 may shift the screen 240 to display an entirely newscreen, such as a screen containing a different set of virtual controlsor a different software application. Force feedback gestures 410 ortechniques may additionally be used. For example, pressing a finger witha force 412 may result in a movement of a desired component correlativeto the force 412. The stronger the force 412, the faster the movement.Likewise, the force 412 may be used, such as when tapping on the screen240, to provide for jogging or fine control of desired components.

In certain embodiments, the mobile device 22 may include accelerometers,gyroscopes, and other sensors useful in deriving motion and/ororientation of the mobile device 22. Accordingly, as depicted in FIG.13, moving and/or changing orientations of the mobile device 22 may beused to control features of the NDT devices 12, such as the articulatingsection 122 of the borescope 14. Indeed, by virtually “driving” themobile device 22 it may be possible to remotely control the NDT devices12. Six degrees of freedom of movement may be derived with respect tothe axes 133, such as movements perpendicular to the X,Y,Z axes 133(e.g., translation in the axes 133), rotations about the X, Y, Z axes133, and/or rotative movements with respect to each of the axes 133(e.g., pitch, yaw, roll). The movements may be derived and subsequentlymapped to correlative movements of the NDT devices 12, such as movementsof the articulating section 122 of the borescope 14, and pan/tilt/zoommovements of the PTZ camera 16. By providing for the virtual driving ofthe mobile device 22, it may be possible to further maximize screen 240space, for example, by not including the joystick 232 and the controlpad 234.

Voice commands may be provided, additional or alternative to theaforementioned virtual controls. For example, voice may be processed bythe NDT devices 12, by the mobile device 22, by the cloud 24, by devicescoupled to the cloud 24 (e.g., device 29), or by a combination thereof,to parse voice into useful commands. All aspects of the NDT devices 12may be controlled using voice, including positioning components of theNDT devices 12 (e.g., articulating section 122 of the borescope 12),recording images and video, providing for annotations, controllingparameters as described above, and so on.

Accordingly, the user 28 may view live video from the borescope 14 onthe mobile device 22, and may articulate the borescope tip 136 byswiping on the screen or tapping on the edges to indicate a jogdirection. The user 28 may additionally or alternatively view live videofrom the borescope 14 on the mobile device 22, and may summon thevirtual joystick 232 or control pad 234 to the screen 240 on the mobiledevice 22. The virtual joystick 232 or control pad 234 may then be usedto articulate the borescope 14. Likewise, the user 28 may view livevideo on the mobile screen 240, find a region of interest, and commandthe borescope 14 to take a snapshot (still image). Similarly, the user28 may view live video on the mobile screen 240, find a region ofinterest, and command the borescope 14 to take a snapshot (still image),and then perform a measurement (e.g., by using cursor placements on theimage, including 3DPM captures, shadow captures, stereo captures). Theuser 2 may also view live video on the mobile screen 249, and thencommand a view of the borescope's file system in order to view andtransfer previously captured still images and videos to the mobiledevice 22, to the cloud 24 and to systems (e.g., computing system 29)coupled to the cloud 24. The mobile device 22 can command viewing and/orexecution of any of the borescope's menus. Indeed, all functions thatmay be done by the operator 26 may be done remotely by the operator 28using the mobile device 22 and/or computing system 29. Indeed, theentire screen of the NDT device 12, such as the screen 135, may berecreated in the mobile device's screen 240 and used to control the NDTdevice.

Technical effects of the invention include enabling remote control ofthe NDT devices 12. The remote control may include positional control ofmechanical components, remote control of the file systems included inthe NDT devices 12, remote control of parameters of the NDT devices 12,including parameters used for operations of the NDT devices 12 andparameters used to configure the NDT devices 12. Further, the NDTdevices 12 may be reprogrammed remotely. A variety of virtual controlsmay be provided and used for remote control, including virtualcontrollers (e.g., joystick, pad), gesture control, motion control, andvoice commands.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the invention, including making and using any devices orsystems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope ofthe invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examplesthat occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intendedto be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elementsthat do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if theyinclude equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differencesfrom the literal languages of the claims.

1. A system comprising: a non-destructive testing (NDT) devicecomprising: a communications system configured to receive control datafrom an external system, wherein the NDT device is configured to use thecontrol data to control a software component included in the NDT device,to control a hardware parameter of the NDT device, or a combinationthereof.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications system isconfigured to use a cloud computing network to receive the control data,to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.
 3. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the communications system is configured to use awireless network, a near field communications (NFC), a personal areanetwork (PAN), and ad hoc pairing, or a combination thereof, to receivethe control data, to transmit inspection data, or a combination thereof.4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware parameter comprises anoperational parameter used during operations of the NDT device.
 5. Thesystem of claim 4, wherein the operational parameter comprises a startdata acquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, aadjustment of gain parameter, a adjustment of a time base parameter, acompensating for lift off—zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phaserotation parameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancingof a probe parameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustmentparameter, an adjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, aparameter adjusting color palette, a signal rectification parameter, apulser filter parameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming outparameter, a pulse width parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulserepetition frequency parameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweepangle stop parameter, a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels onparameter, a channel off parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearingdata parameter, an erasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter,an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter to change a spot position, aparameter to change a display types, a parameter to change a channelview, or a combination thereof.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein theNDT device is configured to use the control data to access a filesystem, to display visual data, to play audio data, or a combinationthereof.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein file system comprises a file,a folder, or a combination thereof, and the NDT device is configured toadd the file, delete the file, rename the file, update contents of thefile, add the folder, delete the folder, rename the folder, updatecontents of the folder, or a combination thereof, and wherein the visualdata comprises an image, a video, a text, or a combination thereof. 8.The system of claim 1, wherein the control data comprises a virtualcontroller data, or a combination thereof, derived by manipulating avirtual controller.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the externalsystem comprises a mobile device, a computing system, or a combinationthereof, communicatively coupled to the NDT device by using thecommunications system.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the NDT devicecomprises, a borescope, an ultrasonic inspection device, an x-rayinspection device, an eddy current inspection device, a fiberscope, apan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, or a combination thereof.
 11. Anon-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructionsconfigured to: receive control data from an external system by using acommunications system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT)device; and use the control data to control a software componentincluded in the NDT device, to control a hardware parameter of the NDTdevice, or a combination thereof.
 12. The non-transitory computerreadable medium of claim 11, comprising instructions configured to use acloud computing network to receive the control data.
 13. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, comprisinginstructions configured to use a wireless network, a near fieldcommunications (NFC), a personal area network (PAN), and ad hoc pairing,or a combination thereof, to receive the control data.
 14. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein thehardware parameter comprises an operational parameter used duringoperations of the NDT device, and wherein the software componentcomprises a file system.
 15. The non-transitory computer readable mediumof claim 14, wherein the operational parameter comprises a start dataacquisition parameter, a stop data acquisition parameter, a adjustmentof gain parameter, a adjustment of a time base parameter, a compensatingfor lift off—zeroing parameter, an adjusting of phase rotationparameter, an adjusting of persistence parameter, a balancing of a probeparameter, an adjusting of a gate amplitude adjustment parameter, anadjusting of a gate position adjustment parameter, a parameter adjustingcolor palette, a signal rectification parameter, a pulser filterparameter, a zooming in parameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulsewidth parameter, a data filter parameter, a pulse repetition frequencyparameter, a sweep angle start parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter,a sweep angle increment parameter, a channels on parameter, a channeloff parameter, a freeze data parameter, a clearing data parameter, anerasing data parameter, an adjusting span parameter, an adjusting filterparameter, a parameter to change a spot position, a parameter to changea display types, a parameter to change a channel view, or a combinationthereof.
 16. A method comprising: receiving control data by using acommunication system included in a non-destructive testing (NDT) device;and using the control data to control a component included in the NDTdevice, to control a file system of the NDT device, or a combinationthereof.
 17. The method of claim 16, comprising using the control datato control a parameter of the NDT device, wherein the parameter is usedto control operations of the NDT device.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein the parameter comprises a start data acquisition parameter, astop data acquisition parameter, a adjustment of gain parameter, aadjustment of a time base parameter, a compensating for lift off—zeroingparameter, an adjusting of phase rotation parameter, an adjusting ofpersistence parameter, a balancing of a probe parameter, an adjusting ofa gate amplitude adjustment parameter, an adjusting of a gate positionadjustment parameter, a parameter adjusting color palette, a signalrectification parameter, a pulser filter parameter, a zooming inparameter, a zooming out parameter, a pulse width parameter, a datafilter parameter, a pulse repetition frequency parameter, a sweep anglestart parameter, a sweep angle stop parameter, a sweep angle incrementparameter, a channels on parameter, a channel off parameter, a freezedata parameter, a clearing data parameter, an erasing data parameter, anadjusting span parameter, an adjusting filter parameter, a parameter tochange a spot position, a parameter to change a display types, aparameter to change a channel view, or a combination thereof.
 19. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the using the control data to control thefile system comprises adding a file, deleting the file, renaming thefile, updating contents of the file, adding a folder, deleting thefolder, renaming the folder, updating contents of the folder, or acombination thereof.
 20. The method of claim 19, comprising using acloud computing network to receive the control data.